Health & Medicine

«Tennis Elbow" - a pain in the elbow, caused by overexertion of muscles of the shoulder and forearm.Widespread among professional tennis players.

From a medical point of view, "tennis elbow" - an inflammation of the joint capsule of the elbow joint, which may occur not only in tennis, or, say, golfers, but even office workers.

In general, anyone who is forced to overtax the muscles of the hand.

Because excessive load on this muscle group it may begin degenerative processes, localized in the muscle attachment to the external epicondyle of humerus.When inflamed, and he appears epicondylitis, which, in fact, called "tennis elbow."

«Tennis Elbow" typically occurs in a leading hand if you are right handed - this match will be the right hand, and vice versa, but it can also occur in the nondominant arm and both hands.

Tennis elbow symptoms

sticky pain in the elbow, spreadable slowly across his hand;

sharp pain in the elbow;

pain in his elbow during handshakes;

pain in the wrist when moving objects

(even light - knife, fork, toothbrush).

risk group

Ironically, "tennis elbow" is a fairly common problem.According to various estimates, from this disease suffer from 2% to 4% of adults (ie, at least 200 million people worldwide).

In addition, each of the second tennis player (professional and amateur) will certainly faced with the disease.

However, it is estimated that only one in twenty diagnosed with "tennis elbow" is connected directly to the title sport.

from "tennis elbow" suffered by both men and women.Most of them are aged between 30 and 50 years, although in principle the pathology affects both children and adolescents.

Symptoms of the disease symptoms of the disease are pain in the elbow.It is for him a doctor (surgeon, trauma, or a specialist in sports medicine) can make a preliminary diagnosis, and after the special physical tests - final, and prescribe treatment.

Inflammation in "tennis elbow" will manifest itself in terms of the biochemical analysis of blood, less epicondylitis diagnosed by radiography.

Tennis Elbow: how to reduce the pain

not do things that cause pain in the injured elbow;

apply ice;

use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (only after talking with your doctor);

visit the doctor to prescribe treatment.

How to Cure "tennis elbow»

Treat "tennis elbow" is possible only after the affected elbow pain became bearable.

treatment involves a series of exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons around the elbow of the patient.Any activity causing pain in this area should be avoided.

How to avoid problems

only way to avoid disease development - reducing the load on the muscles of the hand.

To do this, you should use the proper equipment for sports activities (work) and wrap bandages (bandages) around the injured elbow (forearm).

How to live

statistics is as follows: more than 95% of people suffering from this disease can be cured completely, and only 5% require periodic medical care, perhaps in the surgical treatment.

However, 80-90% of people undergoing surgery, can thereafter return to their previous activities in full.